View Full Version : Happy Hill Shelter
It is any easy 3.5 miles to the paved roads that lead to Hanover, Northbound, and an easy hike to the paved road (Podunk Rd.) a mile or so from the country store in West Harford, Southbound. You cannot stand up beneath the loft in the shelter, but it is a neat stone building.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/123197440/154902662KYtwmy
http://community.webshots.com/photo/123197440/154902873eYvoms
Footslogger
06-22-2004, 22:58
I stopped there on my thru last year and experienced some of the worst mosquitoes on the entire trail. Guess it was all the moisture we had in 2003. I had all to do to sign the shelter register and skidaddel.
'Slogger
Ditto to what Slogger said. The shelter and surrounding area is beautiful but I had just enough patience to scribble my name in the book and move on to hanover. I was there june 21st, probably 2 months or more before Slogger, so I suspect this is a bad bug spot all season long.
Had a great autumn day hike up to the shelter frmo Hanover on friday of the Gathering 03', had the trail to myself.
TankHiker
06-23-2004, 12:53
Funny, that's why I remember that shelter too - the mosquitoes! I thought we would have the shelter to ourselves, but the bugs chased us into the tent. I think that night was the fastest I ever set up a tent!
Also, the water source was dried up. Luckily I just came from West Hartford, and was heading into Hanover the next day, so we didn't need water (although it would have been nice).
-Tank
poison_ivy
06-23-2004, 15:48
The mosquitos are pretty bad this year too. I stopped by the shelter on a dayhike a couple of weeks ago and we were absolutely swarmed.
- Ivy
...Wondering if Podunk Brook, to the south of Happy Hill Shelter, would be less of a mosquito issue... or is it just plain bad in that whole area? and, say Mink Brook, south of the Moose Mountain shelter? I've generally been a three-season hiker -- leaving out the bug season, but will be through here late June and havent a clue about mosquitos. Oh, and while I'm asking, how many ounces of deep woods off does one carry for a day? If you tell me quarts or gallons I'll know you're teasing me. And I'll still probably believe you.
wilconow
07-08-2007, 19:39
The bugs were terrible and the log entries said the mice were bad as well. Water source is dry. in other words, if nobo, take a shorter day at thistle hill or press on to hanover
Funny thing... I got caught in a tropical storm in '08 and I was as happy as a lark to make it to Happy Hill Shelter!
Shelter in good shape in July 2010. Bugs not intolerable, but it was a dry summer (so far). Had to go up stream a bit to find water. A bear was reported in the area, but I saw no sign of it. Plenty of tentsites, some fairly far from the shelter.
Cosmo